I facilitate interdisciplinary learning in political economy, popular education, and cultural studies at Evergreen (in Olympia, Tacoma, and various prisons). Born and raised in NW Indiana (Hammond, Gary, East Chicago), I am the son, grandson and great grandson of steel workers who came from Mexico and Ireland to work in the mills. I was the first in my family to go to college, and thanks to many completed a Ph.D. at WSU. At Evergreen since 2004, I have worked with Gateways, taught in Japan, researched in Italy, and produced a collection of people’s knowledge, with more to come...
Education
Ph.D., American Studies, Washington State University, 2007; M.A., American Studies, Washington State University, 2000; B.A., English and Philosophy, Indiana University, 1996.
Teaching Style
My research and teaching projects include “Neoliberalism in the Neighborhood,” which examines economic, political, and social changes in communities over the last 50 years, including my own in NW Indiana. This work evolved into gathering, sharing, and teaching through political economy stories by working with students to develop multimedia, economic family narratives. Recent programs have worked with participants to gather and share their most significant knowledge and joy from throughout their lives.